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From: za56@sdcc3.ucsd.EDU (Brian McNeill)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st,rec.games.empire
Subject: Re: Empire
Message-ID: <4083@sdcc3.ucsd.EDU>
Date: Tue, 27-Oct-87 14:44:54 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcc3.4083
Posted: Tue Oct 27 14:44:54 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 30-Oct-87 05:02:16 EST
References: <2731@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu>
Reply-To: za56@sdcc3.ucsd.edu.UUCP (Brian McNeill)
Organization: University of California, San Diego
Lines: 40
Xref: mnetor comp.sys.atari.st:5972 rec.games.empire:255

In article <2731@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu> saponara@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu (John Saponara) writes:
>The classic mainframe game 'Empire' is now available on the Atari ST.  I
>have before me the newest TEVEX catalog, which lists it as being available
>from Interstel, with the writeup:
>
>"Enhanced version of the classic mainframe strategy game.  Interstel has added
>many new features to the game.  You start in control of one city, and your
>goal is to conquer the entire planet.  As you explore and expand your empire,
>you will run into one or two opponents who are also building empires."
>
>Its list is $55, ($38 from Tevex, call 1-800-554-1162 - no, I don't work for
>them, they've just got fast delivery & cheap prices).  Has anyone bought it?
>Reviews, please?
>

I have played it for the Mac...from what I saw it is VERY much more difficult
than the same mainframe game, which I used to play often.  (I played 5 games
vs. the computer, at the easiest difficulty setting, and lost every one...
I only came close ONCE...normally I win about 75% of the games (on the mainframe
version)

This may be due to two things...
 1) New unit, the bomber...a one shot unit, but will destroy anything it
    is used against, and will render a city neutral again...changes the
    entire strategy of the game, as it has a very long range (ie the enemy
    can knock out your production cities very quickly...)

 2) Reduced production times...ie, a battleship that used to take over 70
    turns to construct now takes less than half that...

Both of these, when combined with the computer never making a simple error
make it exceedingly difficult to win the game...in the old game, the 
longer production time and the lack of multi-hit units on land forgive
simple human errors, with the new stuff, it makes even the simplest errors
very costly (ie, I once forgot to move an army, and because of that, I lost
a city that was due to produce a bomber next turn (29 turns down the drain))

Hope this helps,
   Brian McNeill
   za56@sdcc3.ucsd.edu